Naturopathic Solutions For Crohn’s Disease

As a naturopathic doctor, there’s a wide range of different health concerns for which I can provide solutions.

A big part of that is providing naturopathic treatment for digestive issues.

Today we’re going to explore Crohn’s disease, a growing issue among Canadians, and the naturopathic solutions for it.

Keep reading.

What Is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s disease falls under the umbrella term of inflammatory bowel disease, and Canada has one of the highest rates of inflammatory bowel disease in the world.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects your GI tract.

It’s an autoimmune disease, which means your body’s own immune system confuses your own bodily tissue for a pathogen and attacks it – in this case, your small intestine and colon.

It’s named after Burill Bernard Crohn, a Jewish-American gastroenterologist who first identified it as a unique disorder.

What Are The Symptoms Of Crohn’s Disease?

The symptoms of Crohn’s disease often mimic that of other diseases, like food poisoning or the flu.

The difference, however, is that the above symptoms should go away after a few days at most, whereas Crohn’s disease symptoms are chronic.

In the earlier stages of Crohn’s disease, symptoms include:

• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Chronic fatigue
• Unexpected weight loss
• Blood in stool
• Loss of appetite
• Bowel urgency

As it progresses, however, symptoms can be more severe, including:

• Ulcers anywhere along your GI tract
• Skin & joint inflammation
• Anal fistulae
• Shortness of breath
• Anemia-like symptoms

What Causes Crohn’s Disease?

Despite the wealth of research into Crohn’s disease, there’s a lot we still don’t understand about it – including what causes it.

However, there are some factors at play we do recognize, including:

• Genetics
• Environment
• Your immune system

We’ve also recognized certain factors can influence how severe your symptoms might be.

For example, smokers and the elderly tend to have more severe symptoms.

Those who have Crohn’s disease are also at higher risk of other digestive issues, like inflammation, infection, abscesses, and vascular complications.

Naturopathic Treatments For Crohn’s Disease

Currently, there is no known cure for Crohn’s disease, naturopathic or otherwise.

However, a naturopathic doctor in Toronto can help you manage your Crohn’s disease symptoms, keeping them at bay as much as possible so you can enjoy your normal life.

Here are some of the things a naturopathic doctor might suggest to someone with Crohn’s disease.

1. A Crohn’s Disease Diet

One of the things we know about Crohn’s disease is that diet is not what causes it.

However, certain foods can trigger flare-ups of your symptoms.

Everyone is different, so as a result your Crohn’s disease diet and nutrition plan will be unique.

However, some of the things to consider include:

• Adjusting dietary fibre (some folks need more, others less)
• Drinking more water (Crohn’s disease can dehydrate you)
• Reducing dairy (Crohn’s disease and lactose intolerance are common comorbidities)
• Reducing dietary fat (Crohn’s disease makes digesting fat difficult)

Because Crohn’s disease affects your digestive system, you might not be getting all the nutrients you need from diet alone.

As a result, you may want to…

2. Consider A Multivitamin

There are a number of nutrients in which you might be deficient if you have Crohn’s disease.

These include, but are not limited to the following vitamins.

It’s not a bad idea to supplement with each of these as needed, but a good multivitamin can provide support from all angles as well.

Fat Soluble Vitamins

Because Crohn’s disease makes it more difficult to absorb fat, it follows that you may have lower levels of fat soluble vitamins.

These include vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Vitamin D

People with Crohn’s disease are often deficient in vitamin D.

This is a double whammy, since vitamin D helps to absorb calcium.

Besides, many people in Canada are deficient in Vitamin D, so it’s not a bad idea to supplement with it anyway.

Please ask your naturopathic doctor about Vitamin D dosing, as most people do not take enough.

Folic Acid

Some Crohn’s disease medications, including sulfasalazine can lead to a deficiency in folic acid.

Vitamin B12

Inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease can make it more difficult to absorb vitamin B12

3. Acupuncture

You might not think of acupuncture when you think of solutions for digestive disorders, but there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting its use.

A 2014 study by Bao Et Al examined the use of acupuncture as a treatment for Crohn’s disease.

They had two control groups, one that used real acupuncture, and another that used what’s called sham acupuncture – this is when you administer acupuncture incorrectly on purpose, which acts to counter the placebo effect.

After completing the study, they found that acupuncture provided significant relief for Crohn’s disease symptoms.

4. Probiotic Supplements

Probiotic supplements are basically live bacteria in pill form.

You take them to supplement the beneficial bacteria that live in your intestinal tract.

Research is still ongoing into the use of probiotics as a treatment for Crohn’s disease, but a 2018 meta-analysis found that some probiotics were useful in reducing relapse rates.

Be sure to talk to your naturopathic doctor before taking probiotics for Crohn’s disease.

5. Supplement With Omega-3 Oil

Omega-3 oils are a type of fatty acid your body needs to absorb vitamins, build hormones, support your nervous system, and more.

Research is ongoing into the use of omega-3 oils as a treatment for Crohn’s disease.

The data is currently conflicting, but a 2016 study by Barbalho Et Al found it may reduce the inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease.

Book An Appointment With Dr. Sheila Dyer, ND

Have you been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease?

Or, having read the above symptoms, are you concerned you might have it?

If so, book an appointment to see me, Dr. Sheila Dyer, ND.

We’ll get to the bottom of your symptoms, and build a treatment plan that works for you.

Book your appointment today.